Posts by redranger2

Kevin Nguyen3 said:The thing is, medication is never a one-size-fits-all solution, is it? Every individual reacts differently. I have frequently observed—and continue to see even now—that Fever rarely acts in total isolation. When it is combined with other medications, the effects shift entirely! How can anyone truly predict how a specific cocktail will impact a specific person? It is incredibly difficult to assess.
As for the issue of decreased libido... yes, there is a very real possibility that this medication is a contributing factor.
Does the effect change over long-term use? I cannot say for certain. However, doctors often prescribe supplementary medications based on their own clinical experience to help boost libido (think things like Q-pin, Seroquel, or similar drugs). This is common when treating neuroses. But when you are dealing with psychosis, hysteria, or schizophrenia... well, that is an entirely different story altogether.

Q-pin and Seroquel are essentially the same thing, and they certainly aren't used to boost libido. If anything,
they tend to drive it down (much like Varenicline or Zeldox).
Naturally, there are outliers who manage to maintain a normal sex drive regardless of whatever cocktail they are on. They are the lucky ones.

Gerald Torres2 said:Look, I’ve gotta say, ever since I started this specific combo of Zoloft and Wellbutrin, my libido has been through the roof—and honestly, the orgasms have never felt more intense. It’s pretty wild. When I was on Paxil, sex wasn't even on the radar; even if I managed to talk myself into it, reaching a climax was basically impossible, even after an hour or two of trying. So, clearly, everyone reacts differently to these things.

I’ve heard the common consensus is that Zoloft can lead to weight gain and a total shutdown of your sex drive, but my experience has been the exact opposite. If anything, I’m convinced my beloved Wellbutrin is the real MVP here keeping everything working.🙂

It is widely recognized that Wellbutrin acts as a libido enhancer.

Paul Newman5 said:Well, you said it. I honestly think you're right—it'll never happen. Thanks, really. You've encouraged me, even though I did deal with several panic attacks at the office last summer. I often daydream about my husband making enough for us to quit, but he tells me I'd probably just find something else to worry about, which is exactly what you're saying. Seriously, thank you, it means a lot. And yeah, the whole chemistry/nerves thing is totally real. For instance, when I'm home alone, these thoughts never cross my mind, but once I'm out in the world, they hit. You're great, redranger2, thanks.😉

Hehe... it sounds like your husband and I are on the exact same page.🙂
If you were truly a chronic worrier, it would follow you home, too, but in your case
it seems confined to the office. A few panic attacks in a high-pressure workplace isn't
all that unusual—that intense anxiety has to find a way to manifest somehow.

You mentioned this happened over the summer—attacks do tend to flare up more during those months.
Just make sure you always have a bottle of water with you at the office; don't let dehydration or
hunger catch you off guard by letting your blood sugar drop, and you'll be fine. Hang in there, 🙂

Paul Newman5 said:Yeah, I know, you hit the nail on the head. I wasn't really thinking about an audience; I was more focused on getting hospitalized and losing my job. I agree it probably won't happen—I've been going to work since last November without a single incident—but that's just how anxiety works. I'm not a fan of being out in the city or any crowded places either... same fear. Getting to work is the hardest part. I usually deal with this tension from 8 until about 9, then it lets up and I can finish the day normally (well, on meds, but without the physical tightness). I spend so much time "talking" to myself, trying to convince myself everything is fine. I've dissected this with my therapist dozens of times, talked it over with my husband hundreds of times, and argued with myself a million times... which is why I decided to give Apple another shot.

There is something else I want to tell you. A person who spends their time worrying that they will have a nervous breakdown at work almost never actually experiences one. No one has ever suffered a breakdown simply because they were thinking about it. This is pure anxiety and its various manifestations. Subconsciously, you searched for the area where you might be most vulnerable, and you found it: your career.

Imagine if your husband earned a fortune and you didn't have to work at all. I would bet anything that those intrusive thoughts would simply migrate to some other area of your life. You have actually managed to give your anxiety a specific shape, a schedule, and a location. It is truly remarkable how much the nerves and brain chemistry can coordinate.

Dennis Turner6 said:Don’t get mad at me for saying this, but reading through this thread, I’m getting the feeling that it’s the exact same mess whether people are taking their meds or not. That’s just my take on it.

That is a fundamental misunderstanding. For instance, if I didn't have my tablet, I would be suffering from daily panic attacks; I wouldn't be able to function, let alone hold down a job.
While I am managing to work as it is, my role is freelance, which means there is a very real, very grounded fear that I will eventually lose this income stream entirely. It isn't some irrational anxiety; it is just reality.

.😉

Paul Newman5 said:I just hope the search for the right AD doesn't drag on forever.
With my situation, there's almost zero chance I'll actually lose my job, but I'm terrified my nerves will snap and I'll have some kind of outburst that gets me fired.
Maybe you're right, though. I'm anxious, and I've just latched onto this... if it wasn't this, it would be something else. Sorry, I can't remember which AD you're on, how long you've been taking it, or if you deal with anxiety too... damn, I always forget.

Your fear is centered on losing self-control, specifically at the moment
when you have an audience at work. Personally, I find it highly unlikely that such a thing would ever
actually happen, but it remains a compulsive thought, which falls squarely within the realm of anxiety.

Paul Newman5 said:I assume that's the case too, but it sucks regardless. I've read plenty of explanations from gynecologists online saying tons of women take AD instead of hormone therapy. I tried Premarin once, but I was vomiting for like 20 days straight. Between my thyroid antibodies and that prolactin tumor I had back in the day, plus the history of cancer in my family, my endocrinologist suggested AD was a better bet than HRT. It's a lose-lose situation. My subconscious just wouldn't accept this as perimenopause; it felt like a mental breakdown, and then I started panicking about having a nervous collapse at work and losing my job. That's how my anxiety kicked in, and it's always at its worst when I have to head into the office.

It is certainly better to go with AD than HRT. Personally, I don't experience any menopause symptoms while on AD, so it effectively solves two problems with one stone.😁

The dread of losing one's livelihood is a constant companion for many, myself included. There are four of us in my household, and I am the sole provider, working on a freelance basis at that. Eventually, that income will dry up, and then
the real agony begins.
In your case, however, we are dealing with anxiety, and you have simply—whether consciously or subconsciously—latched onto a reason to justify its existence. If it weren't the fear of losing your job, you would inevitably find something else to pin it on.

Paul Newman5 said:Restlessness, nerves, fear—I get it too, felt it since last October. Started on Lexapro, then in December my doctor switched me to Miser. Miser made me sleepy at first, too, but I guess the body adjusts. Ever think that the fear itself is causing the restlessness? You don't have to go to the hospital if you don't want to. My doctor brought up the hospital once, too, so I decided to switch doctors. Don't think for a second that I'm not afraid to drive or that I won't crack and quit my job. Every time I head into work, I want to call and quit; I'd rather just hide in a hole somewhere, but luckily I haven't folded yet. I take 0.5mg of Miser three times a day, plus a little Lexapro occasionally—with Xarelto, it doesn't hit me as hard as before, and I take 4.5mg of Lexapro to sleep. If Xarelto isn't working, there are other ADs; why jump straight to the hospital after one failed attempt? Dark thoughts are familiar territory, but I've noticed they sometimes depend on my own headspace, not just the meds. Yesterday was a total disaster for me... nervous as a dog. Today I'm a different person, even though it's the same medication. Try to stay busy if you can. Clean the house or something. I'll stick to my dose this week and then consult my psychiatrist based on how I feel. Also, check pages 23 or 24 of this forum; there are a few threads about Xarelto-extreme where people discuss it. Do you work? And yeah, this is hell—this time last year, I was a machine, never touched a sedative, could handle three jobs at once, and then... boom. A few panic attacks in the spring and summer, then anxiety, fatigue, and fear hitting in the fall... my OB-GYN said it's all perimenopause, but I can't take hormone therapy. So, is it that, or not? Who knows.

Yes, that is certainly a possibility. The decline in estrogen levels directly impacts one's emotional stability, which explains why many women navigating perimenopause and menopause face frequent bouts of anxiety
and depression.
During perimenopause, hormonal fluctuations are notoriously erratic, characterized by unpredictable spikes and sudden drops.

Brandon Lopez6 said:Is it safe to mix St. John's Wort with Helex? 🤔
I've been digging through a few different sites, and I only found one mention saying you shouldn't take them together, but it didn't actually explain why. Since I'm planning on starting a St. John's Wort regimen, I want to be 100% sure about what's safe to pair with it and what isn't.

By any sort of rational logic, those two ought to work in tandem.
If someone can manage antidepressants alongside Lexapro, then surely St. John's
wort, which acts as an antidepressant itself, should play nice with Lexapro.

Just ask a pharmacist or your psychiatrist.

Paul Newman5 said:Sorry, but my doctor actually told me 2x1. And I was just talking about how contradictory it is. It shouldn't act like Lexapro, but that's exactly what happened this afternoon... it jolted me so much I had to take more anti-anxiety meds. Surprising, since all the literature says it shouldn't do that. I'm just surprised. And again, if my doctor said two a day, why would I take three? You're just repeating what's already confusing me. Something is happening that shouldn't be happening with Cox Communications. It kept me calm for 13 days, then once I bumped it to two, it made me restless just like Lexapro used to. That's what I'm writing about, not the dosage. I tried sticking to exactly what my psychiatrist prescribed starting today, but the restlessness was too much. That's why I'm asking the forum.

Rejica made a fair point, and Timothy Wood38 is correct regarding the mechanism of action for Cox Communications—it functions quite differently from other antidepressants.
I suspect you're reacting to the jump to two tablets. Perhaps try taking one at your usual time and then just half a tablet in the afternoon, giving your system—specifically your brain—enough time to adjust to the chemistry being introduced.

Brandon Lopez6 said:I mean, I don't think it's a bad topic at all. Honestly, a huge chunk of people deal with this exact thing, it’s just that most folks aren't exactly eager to talk about it openly. 🤷

I'm doing alright 🥳, but man, when I was on the pills... it was rough. 🙂

Milligram is really the one who pioneered this discussion, so he ought to be the one to officially start a thread about it.😍

To sum it all up:

For those of us in America navigating life on medication, the sexual landscape tends to look like this:
He can’t get an erection, she can’t find any arousal, and even if by some miracle they manage to technically
get things moving, neither one of them can actually reach a climax. 🤣

Honestly, we probably ought to start a dedicated thread just for this particular misery. :-)))

For whatever years I have left, my only real ambition is to see myself and my family stay healthy.
Once you lose that, you’ve lost everything.

Kenneth Scott41 said:Look, man, I actually sat down with my psychiatrist specifically because my libido had completely bottomed out, asking if there was an antidepressant that wouldn't crush my sex drive—ideally, something that does the exact opposite. There is a heavy hitter out there, but honestly, I only managed to stick with it for about a week because the side effects are just brutal. You start acting like you're on some cheap, low-grade speed—if you've ever experienced that—not to mention the heartburn and the tremors... it was easily one of the worst meds I've ever tried. So, where does that leave me? A man really has to weigh his options here, and I think it's a struggle women don't typically face in the same way. I eventually decided to go back to Velafaks, which manages to stabilize my depression entirely and makes me feel decent, but at the cost of having absolutely no sex life. (I guess I can't help but feel a bit envious of women in that regard... because even when they're dealing with depression, they can usually still find their rhythm, whereas we men have to deal with the physical necessity of being able to get aroused and stay hard just to participate.) But I probably shouldn't dwell on that, as it's getting a bit off-topic.

You're under the impression that it's easier for women, but it really depends on the individual. There are plenty of women out there who maintain a perfectly healthy libido despite being on both antidepressants and antipsychotics; I know people in that situation personally. On the other hand, there are many of us who drop to absolute zero when it comes to desire, and when you are truly spiraling into depression, sex is the very last thing on your mind. It's a complete void. There is simply no chance of feeling any kind of masculine drive.

I spent two years on unknown, and more recently, I’ve been alternating between that and Q-pin.
Both have worked wonders for me. While I dealt with some initial sluggishness and drowsiness
during the early stages of treatment, once my body adjusted, I found myself completely clear-headed on the Associated Press, without any lingering mental fog whatsoever.

I find myself staring at this empty space where a thought should be, much like I stare at an empty prescription bottle on a Tuesday morning. It is quite a peculiar thing, isn't it? To have nothing to say, yet feel the heavy, lingering pressure to say something of substance. One spends half a lifetime waiting for a meaningful conversation only to realize that most of what passes for discourse in this digital age is little more than static. There is a certain exhaustion that comes with expecting depth from a shallow pool.

Paul Newman5 said:Or maybe just a heavy blow to the head for some real sedation.😂I told her I’m still weighing whether I'll even bother seeing a psychiatrist again. That Lariam didn't do much for my anxiety when I was taking it with Luxe. Wouldn't that just leave me sleeping all day anyway? Sometimes I wish I could just disappear to a desert island for two months where nobody asks me for anything. But that's not happening.

I am under the impression that this specific course of treatment would prove beneficial to all of us, offering particular effectiveness for those struggling with chronic insomnia as well as the various manifestations of panic attacks. 🤣

Paul Newman5 said:"Quote:"

I tried both Luxe and Cipralex before, and the aggression and jitters were so bad I still can't even think about them. That’s why I’m terrified of trying new antidepressants—I just can't risk it. Haven't touched Effexor, so no clue there, but those first two... they drove me absolutely insane. My therapist actually told me to stop taking them. Now I'm just sitting here weighing my options, wondering if I should even bother seeing a psychiatrist again, even though my symptoms haven't let up since last year. Physically, I feel stronger, but the anxiety and nerves are constant. I only have one fear, which is why I'm speaking in the singular.

It might be worth looking into some sedative-type antidepressants, perhaps something like Lariam or Faverin.

Angela Patel79 said:Borderline. Just 10mg before bed.
Got diagnosed with anxiety right before I hit the border, but after seeing a therapist, they said my depression and anxiety scores were basically hitting the clinical limit.
Plus, I deal with intrusive thoughts and can barely focus on anything.
Never been hospitalized or tried anything drastic, though.

Currently on Ad Ladiomil, Lexapro, and Valium.

Used to take 100mg of Prazin at night, but switching over to Olexar now.

So, how are you holding up on the Olanzapine? For me, it was a day defined by insomnia and obsessive suicidal ideation—it knocked me out in two days flat. I have never had a medication work that quickly. That was precisely why my psychiatrist prescribed it; he needed something with immediate efficacy. Of course, everyone reacts differently.

Paul Newman5 said:It wasn't about you guys messing with me. It's just when I talk to my friends, I worry that since I've been on Xanax for three months, I'm already becoming addicted. They tease me because they've been taking it for years and don't get why I'm so paranoid. Not all my friends take Xanax or Lexapro, though—some of them are actually sane.🤣

You aren't going to become addicted; what on earth are you talking about? It isn't as if you’re popping a handful of pills every single day. 😂
It seems a vast number of people are consuming antidepressants and similar medications, yet they hide their usage with the desperate secrecy of a snake concealing its tail.🙂

Paul Newman5 said:That's why I'm avoiding antidepressants for now, though you never knows. When I was on them, I needed twice as much Mississippi as I do today. And looking at the posts here and talking to people, nobody seems to have recovered just by taking an antidepressant for a year; there’s always something else added to the mix. There's the period spent finding the right fit, then the side effects—one keeps you awake, another makes you sleep too much, and you spend months just waiting for something to actually work. So that's where I am, but I'll say again, you never know. And there's no need to argue about it on this forum. Everyone is different, with different views. We should be supporting each other through crises and sharing experiences rather than fighting or claiming one way is objectively better. For me, that's not the case. Some choose antidepressants, some Mississippi, some nothing, some bioenergy, healers, psychologists, whatever. But we should respect and comfort each other. None of us are experts, and we're all stuck in the same mess. Besides, I personally know a woman who takes Helex three times a day and goes to work, raises three kids, and hasn't even thought about seeing a psychiatrist or a psychologist. She says the bullying at her job is just part of life, and she manages. I'm not saying that's a solution, but some people really don't see a doctor as necessary. When I complain about being on Mississippi for three months, people mock me for making drama out of nothing. Let's just respect each other. Everyone should treat themselves however they think is best.

Who exactly is mocking you?
I honestly can't make head or tail of this post.🤷